Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan has urged his supporters to prepare for countrywide protests following a court decision sentencing him and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to 17 years in prison each in the Toshakhana 2 corruption case.
The verdict was delivered on Saturday, with the court finding the former first couple guilty in a case involving alleged irregularities related to state gifts received from the Saudi government in 2021.
Khan, 73, has been in jail since August 2023 and faces multiple cases filed against him following his removal from power through a no-confidence vote in April 2022.
According to a statement posted around midnight on Khan’s X (formerly Twitter) account, he conveyed a message to his lawyers during a meeting at Adiala Jail, describing the ruling as a “military-style trial decision” and calling on his supporters to take to the streets in protest.
It remains unclear who posted the message, as Khan does not have direct access to his social media accounts while in custody.
“I have sent a message to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to prepare for a street movement. The entire nation will have to rise for its rights,” Khan was quoted as saying. He added, “Struggle is worship, and I am even ready to embrace martyrdom for the true freedom of Pakistan.”
Khan said the sentence did not come as a surprise and instructed his legal team to challenge the ruling in the high court. He described the decision as baseless, claiming it was delivered hastily, without evidence, and without fulfilling legal requirements. He also alleged that his lawyers were not given a proper hearing.
The former premier called on the Insaf Lawyers Forum and the wider legal community to take a leading role in what he described as a struggle to restore constitutional rule and the supremacy of law. “Only a justice system can protect the people. Without it, neither economic progress nor moral development is possible,” he said.
Khan also criticized the top leadership of the army for his detention, while stating that the army itself “belongs to the people,” signaling an effort to distinguish between the institution and its leadership.
He further alleged that he and his wife were being subjected to mental torture through solitary confinement, claiming restrictions had been imposed on access to books, television and meetings. “Every prisoner in jail can watch TV, but even that has been banned for me and Bushra Bibi,” he said.
The Toshakhana is a department under Pakistan’s Cabinet Division responsible for managing gifts received by rulers and government officials from foreign dignitaries. Such gifts can be retained by recipients only by following prescribed legal procedures.
Bushra Bibi was granted bail by the Islamabad High Court in October 2024, while Khan received bail in the same case a month later. Both were formally indicted in December last year.
Source: PTI
